These Are the 13 Most Beautiful Bookstores in the World

Who doesn’t love books? They hold the key to a new world each time we open them and few things beat the feeling of turning a page to discover what a character will do next. Equally, shopping for books is pretty great as well, especially if it’s in one of these 13 most beautiful bookstores in the world.

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This bookstore is quite possibly located in the most unique and magical setting ever – a 700+-year-old church! Browse the shelves while standing in actual history and please don’t forget to take pictures, because this place is beyond stunning. They get bonus points for their pet-friendly policy too!

One of the most historical bookshops in the world, Shakespeare and Co. is a haven of English-language literature in the heart of Paris, France. The original Shakespeare and Co. dates back to 1919 and was a popular hangout for American writers in the 1920s, including Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein. The shop that exists today was started as an homage to the original in 1951.

Founded in 1953 by Beat icon Lawrence Ferlinghetti, this independent bookstore in San Francisco’s focus is on world literature, the arts and progressive politics. It is also America’s first all-paperback bookshop, making the page-turners on offer as affordable as they are fascinating.

Self-proclaimed ‘most beautiful bookstore in the world’ on their website, Livraria Lello in Porto definitely gives its fellow bookshops a run for their money. It is absolutely breathtaking – no wonder it’s rumoured to have served as inspiration for JK Rowling’s depiction of Hogwarts in Harry Potter!

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Located along Paris’s river Seine, this is not one bookstore but rather multiple book stalls. Especially inviting on a summer’s day, this is probably the most picturesque place on the planet to buy a book and you’ll have more than your share to choose from too.

A wonderland of books in Mexico City, El Pendulo bookshop and café sells mostly Spanish language books but also has an English section for tourists. It is absolutely charming and beautiful, and is definitely not short on books – just look at those shelves!